Inn at 500
The Inn at 500 is located at 500 S Capitol Blvd.
Arrival
The Inn at 500 sits on the north corner of S Capitol Blvd (one way heading northeast) and West Myrtle St (one way heading southeast.) The entrance to the hotel is on the exact corner of the building facing the corner of the intersection. There is a one-way driveway off of Myrtle Street for passenger pick up and drop off. When being dropped off, put your back to the street, then the entrance to the hotel is in front of you.
Service animal relief areas can be found at the hotel arrival area. There are gravely curb extensions that are available for animal use.
Lobby
To enter the hotel, go through a set of sliding double doors into a large carpeted vestibule, walk straight and take a turn slightly to your right through another set of sliding doors. Then you are in the lobby of the hotel. Where the carpet ends, on your right is a small lounge area and on your left is a hallway to the restaurant Richards. Moving forward a few paces, the front desk is on your left which has two stations. Across from the front desk, on your right, is a second small lounge area separated from the first lounge by a wall with a built-in fireplace.
Elevators
Continuing past the front desk stations just a bit, when the overhead speakers are directly above you, turn left down a short hall to the three elevators. One is directly in front of you, and the other two are set off slightly to your right. In between each elevator is a low bench.
The singular elevator call button is on the left side of the metal frame of each elevator.
Inside the elevator, the control panel is on your left when facing the doors. The buttons are laid out in two columns, labeled in Braille with the Lobby and floor two in the middle of the panel. To the right of the panel below a framed menu is a round key card scanner. It is in slightly different locations in each elevator.
Second Floor Capitol Room – Main Convening Location
Upon exiting the elevator on the second floor, turn right down the hall and bear ever so slightly to your right until you reach the entrance to the Capitol Room West entrance. Once you’ve entered the Capitol Room there are ten crescent round tables, one 6’ long table at the center front of the room for presenters with the drop-down screens on either side. Vendors are set up on the left and right sides of the room. Coffee, tea, and water are set up on the same wall as the entrance, to your right when you enter the space.
The get to the terrace, with your back to the front doors, walk about 15 feet. When you first exit the terrace, there is a wide seating area with approximately five round tables and chairs. A narrow bar stretches to your right all along the edge of the Capitol Room with additional high top bar seating overlooking downtown Boise.
Sensory Room
To get to the Sensory Room from the Capitol Room, exit the Capitol Room and walk roughly ten feet. Then turn left and walk down the hallway until you hit seating and can’t go forward anymore. Turn left and go forward. The Sensory room is on your right immediately past the electrical room. The Sensory Room is labeled “Sanctuary Room.”
Upon entering the room, there is a seating area with two arm chairs with a coffee table in between on your right. On your left is a lounger, a longer couch, and a coffee table. Past the coffee table on your left in the corner of the room is the small bar with snacks and drinks. With your back to the bar is the single user restroom. Continuing around the room, with your back to the wall, the bathroom on your left and bar on your right, when the tile turns to carpet, turn left. On your left is a low table with thin string lights hanging from the ceiling. Past the table, straight ahead is the door to the terrace. On the terrace is a love seat to your left and a two chairs with a table on your right. Back in the room, with your back to the terrace door, along that wall are the two arm chairs with small table in between and a second door to the terrace past the chairs. Sensory materials are scattered around the room on tables.
Second Floor Restrooms
The restrooms are past the Sensory room. To get to the restrooms from the Capitol Room, exit the Capitol Room and walk roughly ten feet. Then turn left and walk down the hallway until you hit seating and can’t go forward anymore. Turn left and go forward till the floor changes from carpet to tile, then turn right. The women’s restroom is on your left, and the men’s is on your right. Tactile maps of both restrooms are available onsite.
Women’s Restroom
The women’s restroom has one accessible stall and three standard stalls. Upon entering the restroom, turn immediately to your right. Walking straight, there are two sinks on your right followed by two stalls and directly in front of you, an accessible stall. The hand dryer is on the wall directly across from the sinks. With your back to the stall, past the sinks, the trash can is directly in front of you and the door is on your left.
A tactile map is available of the women’s restroom. It will be available onsite. The guided tactile description will be available soon and linked here.
Men’s Restroom
The men’s restroom has two urinals and one accessible stall. Upon entering the restroom, turn immediately to your left. Walking straight, there are two sinks on your left followed by a short urinal, a tall urinal and directly in front of you, a bathroom stall. The hand dryer is on the wall directly across from the sinks. With your back to the stall, past the sinks, the trash can is directly in front of you and the door is on your right.
A tactile map is available of the women’s restroom. It will be available onsite. The guided tactile description will be available soon and linked here.
Boise Art Museum
The Boise Art Museum (BAM) is 0.2 mi from the Inn at 500 located at 670 Julia Davis Dr. A handheld tactile map is available of BAM. It will be available onsite with a guided tactile description which is available through the link or by scanning the QR code on the map.
Arrival
There is a designated drop off spot directly in front of BAM on Julia Davis Dr. With your back to traffic, the museum is in front of you. There is a curb cut three sidewalk squares to the right of the museum entrance. The museum is set back seven sidewalk squares from the street with planters on either side of the wide walkway. There are two doors, with the entrance on your far right.
Lobby
Upon entering the building, you are in a lobby space with tall ceilings and tiled floor. Immediately on your right is the ticket counter, angled slightly away from you. Past the end of the counter is a wide entrance to the gift shop. On the opposite side of the doors from the ticket counter is a guest services counter with additional access accommodations and a coat check.
Moving past the ticket counter is a wide-open lobby with seating and entrances to all galleries on your left, right, and straight ahead.
Gallery Layout
BAM has a series of 16 small to medium sized galleries that are laid out in three major quadrants. From the lobby, on your left are gallery one through five. On your right are galleries nine and ten. In front of you are galleries six through sixteen including the sculpture court and exit to the outdoor sculpture garden directly back from the front entrance.
Note on the accessible pathway – BAM is all on one floor, however, there are multiple slightly raised or sunken galleries with short sets of stairs that make accessible navigation a bit confusing at times. All galleries can be accessed by ramps, just not always intuitively. The BAM pamphlet has the accessible route marked on its map and guest services staff are available to help with any additional wayfinding.
A handheld tactile map is available of BAM. It will be available onsite with a guided tactile description which is available through the link or by scanning the QR code on the map.
Restrooms
From the lobby, the women’s and men’s restrooms are straight back from the main lobby entrance. Heading directly from the lobby entrance, you can either take the ramped walk way on the left side, or straight ahead, go up a few steps, through a small gallery, then down a few steps where carpet changes to a smooth stone floor. You’ll be in the Sculpture Court and take a right up a gradual ramp. The restrooms are on your left, the men’s is the first door, and the women’s is the second.
Event Space – Sculpture Court
The Sculpture Court is straight back from the main lobby entrance. Heading directly from the lobby entrance, you can either take the ramped walk way on the left side, or straight ahead, go up a few steps, through a small gallery, then down a few steps where carpet changes to a smooth stone floor. Upon entering the Sculpture Court, the long buffet table is directly in front of you with its short end facing you. Moving clockwise, the dessert table is at 9 o’clock along the wall on your left, the bar is at 12 o’clock along the back wall. There are high top tables and tables with seating scattered around the room. Directly in the center of the room is a large round art installation that can be touched.
A handheld tactile map is available of the Sculpture Court. It will be available onsite with a guided tactile description which is available through the link or by scanning the QR code on the map.
Water Bear
Water Bear is 0.6 mi from the Inn at 500 and located at 350 N 9th St STE 100. A handheld tactile map is available of Water Bear. It will be available onsite with a guided tactile description which is available through the link or by scanning the QR code on the map.
Arrival
Water Bear is at on the corner of North 9th St. and West Jefferson St. The entrance is on the left side of North 9th street which is a one-way street. There is street parking and no designated drop off location outside the bar. The entrance to the bar is set off from the street, about three car lengths down North 9th St. There is a wide-open aired vestibule with the double door entrance to the bar on your left once entering the vestibule.
Bar
The bar is one main room. When you first enter a short hall off to your right leads to the restrooms. Past the hall to the restrooms, on your right is a long bar with bar stool seating stretching away from the door. The middle of the room has high top tables closest to you, and two half circle booths past the high tops. From the entrance, the half circle booths are arranged one behind the other with the opening of the first booth on your left and the opening of the second booth on your right. Lining the back wall and wall on your left are benches with two top tables and chairs.
Restrooms
To get to the two single stall all gender restrooms, from the entrance to the bar, take an immediate right, down a short hallway. At the end of the hallway, turn left. Both restrooms are on your right.